The Voice in My Head
by crashing-avalanches
Summary: That voice never seemed to go away...He still clung onto the hope that he might see her again...KallenxLelouch oneshot AU


"Mr vi Britannia..."

He was snapped out of his thoughts as his secretary, a orange-haired girl with a shrill voice called him. Pulling himself up, he replied.

"Yes, Shirley?"

"The new singer is here, would...you want me...to show...her in?" Shirley's voice sounded rather disturbed. Lelouch frowned as he noted that. What did Shirley find so disturbing about her?

"Alright then." As soon as he said that, the ornate doors of his office opened and his secretary showed the new singer in. Lelouch vi Britannia, manager of the Britannia Performing Theatre House sat up straight as he took in the appearance of the new singer that the opera house was going to recruit. He observed the redhead as she walked in gracefully and looked around his office before settling her gaze on him. Her red hair was pulled up in a simple ponytail and she was dressed in a plain, blue dress that matched the colour of her eyes. She was plain enough that she might have been born into the peasant caste and grew up as a maid in a rich person's home.

"You are Mr Lelouch vi Britannia, manager of this place, i assume?" Her tinkling soprano voice echoed with clear clarity through the room. He was amazed that such a plain person would have such a regal and authorative voice.

"Yes ma'am. You must be the opera singer that the academy recommended, I presume?" He replied as he stood up and walked towards her, adjusting his coat as he bowed in greeting. She looked at him with slight amusement as she curtisied in return.

"Why, sir, you must know that better than anyone else? Your family runs this theatre yes?" She enquired with raised eyebrows as she rose from her curtsey. He took her hand and brushed his lips against her pale smooth skin. She merely looked at him as he straightened up and sat on his chair, motioning for her to occupy the seat before him. She did so calmly before folding her hands in her lap demurely, something that only upperclass-ettique-trained ladies would do with such grace.

"Introduction please."

"My name is Kallen Stadfeld," she stated calmly. "I have been at the Britannia Academy of Performing Arts when I was seven. I transferred to the Vienna Arts Academy at the age of twelve due to a scholarship offered," He raised his eyebrows. That was quite a long time.

"How old are you this year?" He asked, intrigued by her statement. She must have quite some talent, having being a full scholarship student as the records indicated.

"Twenty-one. I graduated at the age of eighteen." The question was answered without hesitation.

"Eleven years of training huh? In both drama and opera singing as well as the regular singing that is required by every student?" His question was answered with a nod of her head, clear cerulean eyes boring into him with every word that he spoke. He smiled, noble women like her were so rare these days.

"Now tell me if I am wrong, your father was the prestigious violinist and pianist, Xavier Stadfeld who married Japanese opera singer Kozuki Yuuko, am I right? Your brother Naoto Stadfeld is now a famous composer and conductor all over the world and now conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, formerly a full scholarship student at the academy too," he finished with a smile as she nodded again, her eyes wide with surprise before narrowing in suspicion.

"How-" Her question was cut off by a smirking Lelouch who stood up and gestured to her to leave.

"The academy has information on their students, have they not?" He smiled again as he rapped on his door and the attendant Rivalz appeared. He motioned to Kallen's bags which had been dropped at the side.

"You will be brought to your room, your first performance will be tonight, the song is the aria from "The Phantom of The Opera"." She nodded as she followed Rivalz to her room.

Lelouch felt the corners of his mouth turning up as he watched her go. She had not changed since then, he mused.

Kallen lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. The room was far more comfortable than her quarters at the academy, but it was still far too bland and blank in her opinion. Still, she shouldn't complain, she told herself sternly. After two hours of exhausting unpacking, she was now tired and she needed rest so that she could put on her best performance. First impressions were very important, she remembered her parents' advice. Flipping her notebook about, she pulled out a pen and started writing about what she would need to do before her eyes fell on a simple white dress with a plain black border hanging in front of her closet. Then, as though a plugged-up pipe was suddenly cleared, memories started flooding her mind.

Memories of her childhood in this theatre arts house...surprisingly with vivid memories of being with him...

...Lelouch vi Britannia...

Lelouch sat in the top box with Shirley clinging onto his arm. His mother had suddenly decided the only daughter of the Fennette household was worth wedding and had got both of them engaged quicker than Lelouch could say no. She had became his secretary at his mother's insistance that both of them should get to know each other better. Lelouch actually found this admirer of him quite annoying. He fixed his gaze on the stage as the announcer, another graduate of the academy read through the night's program.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is Camilla Ashford and I will be your host for tonight. For the first performer tonight, we have a new singer, another graduate from the academy , a distinguished opera singing student. Let's welcome Kallen Stadfeld!"

As soon her name was announced, a wave of whispers swept the entire audience.

"Stadfeld? Didn't her mother die when she was young?"

"Yuuko's and Xavier's daughter?"

"Xavier never mentioned his daughter becoming an opera singer, did he?"

"Her name is Stadfeld? I thought that she was quite plain-looking...what do you think, Lulu?"

Lelouch glared at her angrily before looking up as the curtains parted to reveal Kallen, resplendant in a white dress standing in the middle of the stage. As she opened her mouth to sing, everyone immediately fell silent.

"_Think of me...Think of me fondly...when we've said goodbye~_" her melodious voice floated over the room, powerful, yet innocent enough to create the perfect picture of Christine Daae. Her voice seemed to come from all around, not only from the stage, but everyone's gaze was fixtated on her as she went through the aria unlike anyone else. Lelouch was transfixed as he gazed at her singing on the stage. Her voice...it was so familiar, but he couldn't place it somehow...

"_Of~...me~_" As soon as the song was finished, there was complete silence, then...

Applause shattered throughout the entire hall. Some even stood up and shouted bravo while others threw flowers onto the stage. Making a curstey, Kallen immediately exited the stage, gracefully even in the long dress that she was wearing was quite a bother. Lelouch himself was amazed by her vocals and he could actually recall whose voice that had sounded like hers. It was so like...her late mother's...

_Flashback_

_ "Okaa-sama, do we have to see this?" A young Lelouch of around 7 years old protested as his mother dragged him up the steps of the old opera house. His mother was surprisingly enthusiatic, her ebony locks bouncing about as she hauled her son up the ornate steep steps. She chuckled as she ushered her son into the top box and seated him down. _

_ "Now, now, Lelouch, Kozuki-Stadfeld Yuuko is singing. It's been quite some time since she performed with her husband Xavier leading the string essemble. They got us tickets, so we have to come!" Lelouch groaned inwardly as his energetic mother smoothed down his ebony locks similar to hers, identical eyes watching him cheerfully. _

_ "But, okaa-sama, why do I have to come with you? Couldn't Nunnully or Cornelia or even Euphie would have been your companion," complained Lelouch. HIs mother looked thoughtfully before smirking and answering him._

_ "They don't know how to appreciate arts like you do, ne? By the way, daddy says that you are going to run this theatre arts house someday when you grow up. You might as well get aqquainted with it!" exclaimed his mother cheerfully. Lelouch face-palmed himself before voices drew his attention to them. _

_ "Onii-chan, when will this end?"_

_ "Around eleven or so, I would say, you are very excited about watching okaa-san sing, ne?"_

_ "Hai! I also want to see otou-san play solo!"_

_ "Maa, doesn't he perform for you eveyday? You can play the violin very well also ne?"_

_ "Not as well as otou-san! I need to learn more!'_

_ "Hai, hai Kallen-chan, one day, you'll soon be like either okaa-san or otou-san, ne?_

_ "Demo, I will never be able to surpass them, After all, Kallen-chan is just a kid like others ne, onii-chan?"_

_ "Hai, hai. As you say, Kallen-chan."_

_ Lelouch stared at the red-headed siblings in awe. They interacted like each other were the centre of the universe, something that he and his siblings would never do. They all fought over who would take over what aspect of the large Britannia entertainment company. His sister Cornelia and Schenizel were campaigning among the students now to see who would become the new student council president as their father had promised the victor would be the future principal. _

_ "You're Yuuko-san's daughter right? You have your father's eyes and hair, but your mother's face and determination. Same goes for you young man, but you have your mother's eyes," stated Marianne cheerfully, looking at the two. Lelouch found himself drawn towards the redhead girl, whose simple dress essemble made her so striking. A simple white dress clung to her slender frame with a simple black border. Her short red hair was pulled up into a little ponytail at the nape of her neck and her clear cerulean eyes trapped him with their intensity. _

_ "Lelouch, do you find Kallen-chan attractive?" his mother teased as she followed his gaze. The older brother of said child immediately snapped his gaze to Lelouch, hard brown eyes boring into the young boy's amethyst ones. Kallen looked at Lelouch incredelously before bowing gracefully. _

_ "Sorry to have not introduced ourselves properly. Mrs Marianne vi Britannia and Mr Lelouch vi Britannia, I am Kallen Kozuki-Stadfeld and this is my brother, Naoto. We are both current students at the academy. Please accept our apologies for being so impolite." Marianne waved her hand before smiling at the little girl and settling down into her seat as the lights darkened. Kallen turned her gaze to the stage, but Lelouch could still feel her brother's gaze boring into him. Soon, the rich red curtains parted to reveal a beautiful Japanese woman in a black kimono with elaborate butterfly designs all over the traditional Japanese garb. Soon, the chattering of the hall quietened as Kozuki-Stadfeld Yuuko started singing. _

_ Lelouch could never hearing a voice like hers. It was rich, yet gentle and sweet at the same time. She sang a simple Latin aria that matched her vocals and was enchanting at the same time. He sneaked a glance at her two children, Kallen was watching her with a admiring expression while Naoto merely closed his eyes, immersing himself in his mother's voice. Lelouch was awed by their intimtacy towards their mother, again, none of his siblings ever interacted like that with their parents. _

_ Soon, the performance came to an end and Yuuko received stimulanous applause as she bowed again and again. She reached out a slender hand to help her a redhead man onto the stage who was holding a violin. He was strikingly handsome, an older version of Naoto with Kallen's eyes, Lelouch noted. As he lifted the bow to his instrument, smattering applause rang throughout the hall as Yuuko started to sing again..._

Lelouch stared at Kallen as he recalled that faithful day that the two had met. Surprisingly, she had not seemed to remember him and merely addressed him a manner equivalent to meeting someone newly aqquainted. He smiled as she vanished behind the wings. He would jog her memories by taking that instrument that he had given playing up 8 years ago...The same instrument that he had deemed playing such a bother before meeting her...

_Flashback_

_ "Ne, Lelouch, why don't you like playing the violin?" Kallen asked him as they sat beside each other in the vast piano room at the large Britannia estate. Lelouch stared at the ground for a while before looking incredulously at her. _

_ "Why would I want to play an instrument that requires me to wear my nails out when I play it?" This answer was greeted with a cute giggle that stoic-faced Kallen never usually laughed. Lelouch looked up at her with a "what?" look on his face._

_ "You care about your nails more than playing an instrument, Lelouch? That's only something that women do!" chuckled Kallen, her cherubic face scrunched up with laughter, still managing to look cuter at the same time. Lelouch frowned at her before directing his gaze to the polished floor angrily._

_ "I plan to go into drama acting anyway, of couse my nails matter more than me knowing how to play a violin," he said angrily, feeling angry at this girl. Sensing his anger, the redhead girl touched his cheek gently. _

_ "I'm sorry ne, Lelouch, I didn't know that you aspired to be an actor," she said softly, trying to soothe him. When he didn't answer, she crouched down in front of him and pulled his face up. He found himself looking into earnest cerulean eyes. _

_ "Why don't we make a pact, you and me?" she asked, azure eyes twinkling with amusement. He stared at her in surprise._

_ "If it's another one of your "get Lelouch" pranks, I won't agree," he answered evenly. Satisfied that she had gotten his attention, she sat back, still looking at him._

_ "Nope, I'm serious, I swear."_

_ "Okay then, what is it?"_

_ "I'll sing for you everytime you play the violin for me, okay?" she said with serious blue eyes locked with his curious amethyst ones He stiffened. All these time when her family came over to visit him, she had never wanted to sing for anyone to listen even though it was mentioned that she was taking opera singing at the academy as well as drama acting. Now, she was offering to sing for him, only._

_ "What's got into-" before he could finish his question, she placed her finger on his lips, eyes serious like her father talking to his string essemble._

_ "No questions, is it a deal then, Lelouch?" _

_ He looked up at her, his heart softening at her seriousness. Taking her hand off his mouth, he nodded earnestly._

_ "Deal then." _

Since that pact, he had taken a keen interest in learning the violin in order to please her so that she would sing more for him. The first time he heard her voice, it was like listening to a child angel sing, so pure, so clear, so sincere... She had taught him a few techniques as well, amazing his tutor when he demonstrated those to him. Nevertheless, he developed a keen interest in playing the violin. Sometimes, she would accompany him on the piano. Her playing skills were very advanced and she preferred playing the piano as it allowed her to sing at the same time. He had teased her about it, but she had merely said that she wanted to be an opera singer, not a sissy actor like him.

When she was thirteen, her mother died because of respiratory problems. Somehow, due to her shock, Kallen fell into a coma due to her genetically defected heart. When she woke up, she suffered from part amnesia, losing most of her memories, recognising no one except her family members. Lelouch wanted her to remember him and asked to visit her, not knowing that her family had moved to Vienna as her father wanted his children to focus on their careers. He had not seen her since, desperately longing for her singing again. He had missed her so much that he wanted solely to hear her voice again. It had took him eight years to realise that he had fallen in love with her...

Now she was here, her voice had matured and was now so like her late mother's. _Too bad mum wasn't here to see it,_ he thought, She would have mused about that fact as well. After telling Shirley that he had something to attend to, he dashed off to his studio and retrieved a old violin, worn with age before dashing off to Kallen's quarters...

Kallen fell onto her bed, her damp hair tangled in a towel with her right hand. Dressed in a simple pink dress, her gaze floated to the simple white dress hanging at the closet door. She walked slowly to it before fingering the fabric. She never knew that she owned a dress like this before, but after seeing it, she remembered wearing a dress similar to this when she was young and meeting Lelouch vi Britannia. Wrinkles creased her pretty face as she thought about it. Just then, she heard the sound of a violin being played so beautifully. It was coming from a very old but well-tuned violin. Opening her door and whipping her head around, clear cerulean eyes found Lelouch vi Britannia playing "Castle in the Sky", his amethyst eyes meeting hers as she stood, transfixed by his playing. Somehow, the tune sounded familar so familar to her yet she didn't remember hearing this tune before.

As Lelouch finished the song, he looked at her with a strange expression which was both afraid yet yearning at the same time. Just then, his eyes darted to a grand piano and Kallen followed his gaze to the majestic instrument located just outside her door. Kallen found herself drawn to the piano and walked over to it, sitting down and carressing the ivory keys. Her fingers unknowingly rested on specific keys and started to play.

It was the exact same tune that Lelouch had played, she couldn't help realising but her mind was filled suddenly with so much memories, memories that the doctor thought that would never resuface again in her mind. As soon as the song came to an end, Kallen turned to look at Lelouch with tear-filled eyes, realising who this man was and how much he meant to her...

"Le-louch..."

His name was choked out as the tears started flowing down her face. She threw herself at him, burying her face in his chest as she started to sob uncontrollably. Lelouch was stunned by her reaction but wrapped his arms around her gently, pulling her into his embrace.

"You do remember,don't you?" He whispered softly as he held her gently, her slender frame shaking with sobs. She nodded before pulling him closer to her.

"So-so-rry...I just couldn't remember..." she whispered into his chest, one hand clinging onto his shirt. Lelouch pulled her gently into her room and seated her on her bed. He rested a hand reassuringly on hers while the other wiped away her tears. He pushed her red hair away from her face and tlited her face up to look at him.

"Kallen, it took me eight long years to realise that I love you with all my heart. I had fallen for you since that day I met you here in this theatre arts house eight years ago. I couldn't bring myself to admit it back then, but..." Lelouch was at a loss of words as he stared into Kallen's azure eyes, the same colour of the sky. Swallowing, he continued.

"I am not letting you go again, you hear me, Kallen Stadfeld? I want you here with me again, I will play the violin for you and you will sing for me again, like back then before you lost your memories, deal?" He looked into her blue eyes. His heart was filled with an adreline that he had never experienced before as he waited for her answer. Kallen looked at him, a rather queer feeling arising in her heart. She took his face in her hands and leaned her forehead against his.

"You know what? I really loved you back then. I suppose if my mother had never died, we would have grown up together as childhood sweethearts, eh? Our parents wouldn't have objected to us being a couple then," she smiled as she threaded her fingers through her hair. Lelouch slipped his arms around her back, pulling her to his chest. Their lips were almost touching, they could feel each other's breath on their face. Pale shades of red started appearing on their faces as they looked at each other.

"Speaking of being a couple, what are you going to do with your lovely fiancee, huh?" Kallen asked breathily as Lelouch closed the little distance that was between their lips, halting his journey to his goal. He frowned momentarily, lines creasing his forehead as he considered the problem.

"I'll tell my mother, it won't be a big problem," he replied. "She likes you, and my father can't object, so it will have to be." Kallen laughed as Lelouch said so with a serious expression on his face.

"By the way, I still haven't got your answer yet, Miss Stadfeld. Deal?" Lelouch interrupted Kallen's quiet giggling. The red-haired girl looked up at him before smiling.

"You still have to ask? Of course it's a deal!" Kallen answered eagerly. Satisfied with her answer, Lelouch pressed his lips to hers hungrily, feeling a sense of accomplishment as she accepted. Pushing her gently back onto her bed, he climbed over her, watching her expression as he adjusted his position. Leaning forward, he claimed her lips and mouth aggressively, adreline spiking him through as she fought back, fingers grasping his hair, digging into his scalp. Hands tore pieces of clothing from each others' body as they were lost in the moment of fiery passion of each other's company...

"I suppose this is love huh?"

Lelouch asked Kallen as they lay down beside each other in her bed. He ran his fingers through her red hair tenderly as she rested her hand against his cheek. She smiled as he cocked an elegant eyebrow, waiting for her answer. The red-haired girl didn't answer immediately. Instead, she seemed lost in her thoughts, her sky-blue eyes staring off into space.

"Kallen..."

"Well...I suppose this is though.." she pushed herself off the bed, pulling a sheet around herself.

_"You'll always be the dream that fills my head, yes you will, say you will, you know you will, baby~ You'll always be the one I know I'll never forget~"_

_ "There's no use looking back or wondering, because love is a strange and funny thing~ No matter how I try and try I just can't say goodbye~" _

Lelouch finished the song for Kallen. She looked impressed before smiling. He had sat up and was supporting himself with his palms as he sang.

"So? You can't let me go huh?" She smiled bitterly. "I guess the same goes for me though..."

"I'll sing for you another line," he interrupted her voice which was trailing off. She stared at him questioningly as he cleared his throat. "Try to finish it up."

_"Remember that I nade a vow, that I would never let you go~"_ He trailed off, looking at her to finish the song.

_"I meant it then, I mean it now, and I wanna tell you so~" _ She finished for him as he reached out to carress her cheek before pulling her into his arms, hugging her tightly to him.

"I will never let you go, Kallen, no matter what, because my heart won't let me do so." Kallen closed her eyes and relaxed in her love's arms.

"Neither can I Lelouch, that's why..."

The two of them paused before replying each other in unison.

"...we'll never be apart from each other."

**well...phew... There goes the last of my brain juice...I won't be writing for a while as I have my common test coming up and also my Co-curricular activity has suddenly turned from a very slack one to a very tedious one which does stretching exercises during drama classes...? Never mind, so long as I am not writing, I hope you all can wait patiently for the 8th chapter of Lost Love and my next one shot. I suddenly feel that 24 hours, 1440 minutes or 86 400 seconds are certainly not enough for me, at least...**

**By the way, the lyrics belong to "The Phantom of The Opera", "Never Had A Dream Come True" by S Club 7 and "I Don't Wanna Fight No More" by Westlife. This one might be a little disappointing as I didn't know how to end it...T^T...Please click the review button and write somthing in the box that pops up. Hopefully, little me here can improve and write another one more nicely next time ^^**


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